Infectious Love
Katherine Turner
This quote struck me because I’ve always thought of infection as a negative thing but it is true that when those around you are loving and caring, it is infectious: you too feel more inclined to love and care for others. I feel this was demonstrated throughout my time on GP placements. In retrospect, all the patients I met who were suffering from depression, or even just general malaise, were all in situations with a distinct lack of love. For some, this was because their loved ones had died whilst others were trapped in unhappy relationships. These individuals seemed to find coping with their conditions much more difficult than those who were surrounded by loved ones. Observations such as this have been investigated and there is evidence to support the idea that stressful life events and strong negative emotions are linked to immune-related diseases (psychoneuroimmunology). It is also commonly accepted that mental illnesses such as depression are associated with the presentation of physical symptoms such a change in appetite or weight, unexplained aches, changes in the menstrual cycle and disturbed sleep patterns. I have always found it interesting to see how closely the mind and body are entwined and I am intrigued by ideas such as utilising the placebo effect in order to treat physical illness. To me, evidence of these links shows the importance of spending that little extra time with a patient in distress because in order for them to heal physically, emotional healing may be a prerequisite.
The first image that was conjured-up when I thought of infection was the well-publicised image of someone sneezing and all the salivary droplets spreading through the air (image: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oct/25/swine-flu-vaccines-profit). I decided to base my visual piece on this image because I wanted it to appear, at first glance, to show nothing more than the spread of infectious pathogens. It is not until one looks more closely that they realise the ‘infection’ is actually love.
This picture captured my attention when I first saw it and upon reading the reflection I gained a new insight into what the image represented. The artist’s perception is impressive and shows true understanding of whole person care, all of which are the characteristics of a great doctor. Well done!
I found the contrast of the quotation and the picture in this piece very striking. It demonstrates the strong connection between the physical and emotional self really well. Both the picture and the reflection made me think about how important it is for doctors to look beyond the clinical symptoms that a patient may present with.
The fascinating link between the mind and body is clearly demonstrated here and the combination of art and words conveys the notion that love/emotion is a powerful form of treatment.
This picture reminded me that although we may have advanced treatments for many diseases, the emotional state of a patient when they are recover is just as, if not more, important than any medical treatment we have. Indeed, it has been shown in numerous studies that patients who are happy and positive and have a good support network recover quicker than those who don’t. I like this piece of artwork as it captures my thoughts in a single image.
From a first glance, I like the positive message about the spreading of love and its infectiousness to others. It is interesting to see the clear link between mind and body and how they are both intertwined with one another. Also, I like the holistic approach that it takes. By treating a patient as a whole person it allows doctors to really see what lies beneath the surface. Excellent art with many connotations associated with it!